Photo By Sgt. 1st Class John Healy | The Soldiers of 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade...... read more read more
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Capt. Travis Fugate, a native of Lexington, Kentucky, was awarded the Purple Heart today, a year after being wounded by indirect fire on Bagram Air Field, the Air Force Command Center in Afghanistan.
On New Year’s Eve, December 2013, while Train was performing a cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine” in Times Square, N.Y., to a massive crowd sporting novelty hats and oversized LED rimmed 2013 glasses, 1st Lt. Fugate was returning to work after a quick meal. That’s when the rockets struck.
The first impacted somewhere on the runway at Bagram Air Field, the U.S. Air Force’s Central Command in Afghanistan, while Lt. Fugate was walking back from chow, ready to resume working at the 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division’s headquarters.
“[The first rocket] was pretty far away from me, and I was about ready to get back up, thinking it was all clear,” says Fugate. “I decided to wait a few more minutes.”
The second landed at his feet.
“I heard a loud whistle, and I knew it. It was just a split second before it impacted about 20 ft. in front of me,” says Fugate.
The two 120mm. rockets originated from the mountains surrounding BAF. Though wildly inaccurate, they are still incredibly deadly.
“It’s kind of a blur, I don’t know if I was knocked unconscious or what, but time went by very quickly,” said Fugate. “I remember checking myself for any visible wounds, making sure I was OK head to toe.”
Cpt. Dave Marcoux, the 3-82nd’s physician’s assistant, was on call in the emergency room at BAF when the attack happened.
“Any time there’s an alarm or somebody’s going outside the wire, they’re already spun up and ready,” says Marcoux. “They’re well prepared and well-rehearsed.”
Upon receiving Fugate’s case, Marcoux realized how lucky he was, and how much of an impact training had on his survival.
“He was really close to impact, just steps away,” says Marcoux. “If he was standing up it would have been a different story, but he was on the ground like he was supposed to be.”
Aside from a concussion, Fugate also sustained minor abrasions and superficial wounds. All of this would have been much worse if Fugate hadn’t been wearing his body armor.
“Clearly, the protective gear that he had, the fact that we enforced and mandated that everybody wear it, is allowing him to walk and talk today,” says Sgt. Maj. Theodore Durand, senior noncommissioned officer of the 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.
Durand hopes that Fugate’s close call will leave a lasting impression on his current and future Soldiers on the importance of wearing the right gear at all times.
“He’s going to be the best advocate to teach that from first-hand experience to ensure that others realize that there’s a purpose to many of those battle drills,” says Durand. “He’s a living testimonial to that.”
Receiving the Purple Heart will be Fugate’s last memory of Fort Hood. He left immediately after the ceremony to begin a road trip to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to begin the Field Artillery Officers Course, but only after stopping to visit family back home.
Fugate has one person in particular that he is looking forward to seeing.
“I’ve always had a great respect for everyone in the military, especially Purple Heart veterans,” says Fugate. “My grandpa, who is a Korean War veteran, is also a Purple Heart recipient.”
Fugate’s grandfather, Raymond Fugate, retired as a command sergeant major after serving more than 20 years. In addition to the Purple Heart, Raymond Fugate is also a Silver Star recipient, and one of Travis’s first role models.
“He’s proud that I joined,” says Fugate. “He always gave me lots of advice growing up, getting to hear his stories about the Korean War and his experiences.”
Now, Fugate has some stories of his own, along with a new award to show his grandfather.
“It feels even more special to share that with him,” says Fugate.
| Date Taken: | 05.01.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 05.05.2015 15:41 |
| Story ID: | 162305 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Hometown: | LEXINGTON, KY, US |
| Web Views: | 156 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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